It was brutal, last night's game. We knew it would be. We knew it would be because Waianae and Kahuku were involved. And anytime those two go against each other, you know the action is going to be physical, and with great heart. And it was.

This was less a Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I semifinal football game than it was Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots under the Aloha Stadium lights.

There were contusions (and katooshens) left and right.

I have bruises, and I was watching from press row.

But there were also the fumbles -- five total, four of them lost. The penalties, 26 of them in all, between the two teams. Eighteen by Kahuku alone, for 160 yards lost.

Yikes.

It wasn't always easy to watch.

At one point, Kahuku had to try an 35-yard point-after, thanks to three straight illegal-procedure calls.

At separate points in the game, both bands even received official warnings.

There were enough personal fouls to make your head hurt, if you wanted to count them all up.

It was brutal, last night, in more ways than one.

But then came that goal-line stand.

This was something different. Real.

This was Kahuku. The haka. The Florida State song.

And then the Red Raiders were alive. Not just leading -- alive.

Waianae's Nui Stevens had slammed inside the 1, but then went down hard.

Stevens again, right up the gut. Nothing. Waianae, end around. Caught by a swarm of red behind the line.

Then, fourth down, Waianae went for it. A pass. Kahuku's William Tupola intercepted it on the 1 and the Red Raiders went nuts.

Goal-line stand. Denied, from inches away.

Can you hear it?

"The intensity was there," Tupola would say.

"We were thinking: They're not going to get it in," defensive end B.J. Beatty said. "That's our goal every week. Nobody crosses the goal line."

And then the Red Raiders started ripping off runs, one after another. Malosi Teo, exploding. He would finish with 160 yards.

(Apparently, you can have 18 penalties for 160 yards when you've got a guy who can rush 18 times for 160 yards.)

Then Kahuku unveiled massive back Joseph Whittacker, who is -- brace yourself for this -- 250 pounds. He scattered bodies for 100 yards. On four carries. Yes, you read all of those numbers right.

Yes, you're starting to get that song in your head.

This was Kahuku. Back. Real. The Raiders were rolling in the second half. They were alive in the second half.

"We kind of wanted to put it up a little more," Beatty would say.

Listen. Here it comes again. That rhythm. Those drums. That sound. That song.

You know the one.

The Raiders were rolling again.

They made us wonder, this season, last night. They've got things to worry about. They've got stuff they could fix. Eighteen penalties will tell you that.

But when they've got it, they've got it. When they're rolling, they roll. That goal-line stand said it: They just might have another run in them yet.